&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Janhvi Kapoor on backlash over her Param Sundari casting, says character is, ‘half-Tamilian and half-Malayali'")
Janhvi Kapoor is playing the role of a typical South Indian girl in her upcoming movie Param Sundari. The actress is currently busy promoting the film, but ever since the trailer was released, a section of the internet has criticised her casting as a Malayali character. Her performance and accent in the trailer have led many people from Kerala, including actress and content creators, to slam her portrayal.
Janhvi Kapoor on backlash over her Param Sundari casting
In the film, Janhvi plays Sundari, a South Indian girl living in Kerala. After the backlash, she responded by clarifying that her character is “half-Tamilian, half-Malayali.”
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Speaking to ET Digital, Janhvi, who has South Indian roots through her late mother, the legendary actress Sridevi, a Tamilian, also shared her admiration for her South Indian heritage. Amid recent talks around her character in the movie, Kapoor said,“Finally, here was a story that had all of that, but also gave me the chance to go towards my roots,”
Expressing her love for Malayalam cinema, Janhvi added, “Of course, I’m not a Malayali, and neither was my mother, but my character is actually half-Tamilian and half-Malayali. I’ve always been very interested in that terrain and that culture, and I’m also a huge fan of Malayalam cinema.”
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During the discussion, the actress also shared what drew her to the movie, explaining that she was eager to do a romantic comedy.
“I was at a point in my life where I myself, more than an actor, but as a member of the audience, was dying for just a rom-com. A light-hearted romantic movie where you have a smile on your face the entire time you are watching. Here was a story that gave me the chance to go towards my roots,” she said.
Backlash on Janhvi's performance
The film has faced criticism from several quarters, with many viewers calling Janhvi’s performance in the trailer disrespectful toward the Malayali community. Actress Pavithra Menon also reacted to the controversy, questioning the casting choice and criticising Janhvi’s accent in the film.
In a video, Menon said,"I want to really address this- What's the problem in hiring a proper Malayali actress? Ham kam talented hote hain kya? (Are we less talented)."
